


Ephemeral

by myriddin



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin
Genre: Age Difference, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Arranged Marriage, F/M, Slow Build, canon compliant underage
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-28
Updated: 2016-04-28
Packaged: 2018-06-05 00:50:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 525
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6682816
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/myriddin/pseuds/myriddin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Written for valar_morekinks meme. Stannis arrives at Dragonstone in time to capture Rhaella and her kids, but refuses to kill them like Robert wants. Rhaella dies in childbirth, Viserys is sent to the Wall and Robert insists that the only way Dany can survive is if Stannis marries her when she is of age.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Ephemeral

"You can't be serious!" Stannis was appalled at the very idea of his brother's presumptuous order, but Robert's jaw was clenched, his eyes dark and wild as a tumultuous storm.  
  
"If you insist on protecting that dragonspawn, you will do as you are told!"  
  
Stannis grit his teeth, swallowing his pride with a curt nod. If the girl was to keep her life, Daenerys Targaryen was to become his wife.  
  
++  
  
"Stanny, Stanny!"  
  
Stannis froze in his tracks, Ser Davos pausing curiously at his side. Stannis clenched his teeth, fighting not to harshly reprimand the girl for using that abysmal nickname as he turned on his heel to face her. "My name is Stannis, Daenerys. What do you need?"  
  
His bluntness hardly phased the six-year-old, beaming up at him adoringly as she offered up a paper covered in clumsy handwriting. "Maester Cressan taught me to write out my name. Do you like it?"  
  
Stannis squinted at the lopsided inscribing, roughly spelling out: _Daenerys Baratheon_. Ignoring the familiar sinking feeling he'd come to associate with remembering he would one day be married to the little girl before him, eighteen years his junior, he forced a weak, grimacing smile. "It's very well done."  
  
++  
  
The squire jumped when his lord slammed his fist down on the table, shaking the clay pitcher and cup the boy had brought. "My lord?"  
  
Stannis waved him away. "Leave me."  
  
The boy eagerly did as he was bid and scrambled out of the room. Stannis collapsed into a chair, irritably rubbing his temples, the farthest a person would expect from the image of a groom on his wedding night.  
  
He'd done his duty, they both had. But his young wife's tears would haunt him for the rest of the lonely night.  
  
++  
  
Daenerys sighed softly, brushing her fingers through Steffon's fine black hair as the babe shifted and snuffled in his sleep. She looked up with surprise as the door to her chambers quietly opened, and Stannis appeared to stiffly hover in the entryway. Daenerys was bewildered as her lord husband's appearance, as she had seen little of him since he had returned from King's Landing in haste and shut himself away with his advisors. Now he stood looking harried and exhausted, his manner strangely tentative for such a blunt, upfront man.  
  
"My lord? Are you well?"  
  
Stannis shifted awkwardly, softly clearing his throat. "My lady, I have much to tell you, but the hour is late and I will do so in the morning." He hesitated and reminded himself what Davos had said about being honest. "If it pleases you, I wish to stay the night here."  
  
Daenerys blinked. "You wish to take your rights, my lord? I'm still healing from Steffon's birth, I'm not certain-"  
  
Stannis held up a hand, shaking his head. "No, I wish to...sleep." Letting out a frustrated breath, he dared to take Davos' advice to heart. "I..I wish to sleep close to you and our son tonight, my lady. Nothing more."  
  
Daenerys' eyes softened and she held out a hand to him. "Then come to bed, my lord. Our son sleeps and we should do the same."


End file.
